Selectable index



y 8, 1951 J. A. ORTENDAHL 2,552,448

SELECTABLE INDEX Filed March 1, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jens A Ortendahl IN V EN TOR.

J. A. ORTENDAHL SELECTABLE INDEX May 8, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1948 Jen: A. Orlando/II INVENTOR.

Patented May 8, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to an indexing device and has for its primary object the provision of a device whereby a plurality of sheets may be sequentially exhibited at a window upon normal movement of the carrier and upon reverse movement of this carrier any portion of substantially the entire surface of a predetermined sheet may be exhibited at the same window. Whenever it is desired" to find the addresses and telephone numbers of all persons whose names begin with a particular letter, all that need be done is to move the carrier in the casing until the sheet corresponding to this particular letter is exhibited before a window and then the motion of the carrier is reversed. In this second phase of the operation, the entire predetermined sheet may eventually be exposed before the window thus revealing all of the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the persons whose last names begin with the particular letter. Also, the device may be used to enter a desired name, address and telephone number readily and easily, on a sheet that is not entirely filled up.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a carrier in an indexing device to which a plurality of sheets may be removably secured in proper spaced relation thereon.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an indexing device with an alphabet on the carrier and an alphabet on the casing and indicia on the sheet secured to the carrier, which indicia are so arranged on the sheet that when a particular letter is selected by means of the carrier alphabet, the indicia will align itself with the corresponding letter of the casing alphabet. Thus, the operator is assured that the sheet selected is the one desired.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a compact, easily assembled, and easily disassembled indexing device which may be readily manufactured of light-weight material and which may be easily operated by ofilce people.

A particular feature of this invention is the provision of a particular selector in the casing which does not function to separate any sheet when the carrier is normally moved to exhibit the sheets before the window, but which automatically and simply retains all of the sheets beneath a predetermined one upon reverse motion of the carrier and directs all of the sheets into a storage compartment while any portion of the predetermined sheet is exposed and exhibited before the window.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire indexer in assembly, depicting the manner in which an index on a predetermined sheet aligns itself with a letter of the alphabet on the casing corresponding to the letter of the alphabet on the handknob which operates the carrier;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the indexer depicting a sheet exhibited before the window with information on the sheet desired;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the section line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 44 of Figure 3, with parts shown in elevation;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a sheet before it is secured to the carrier; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view showing the selecting lip in detail and in operation with a selected and retained sheet.

Specific reference is now made to the drawings. In the several views of the accompanying drawings and in the following specification, similar reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout.

Generally indicated at In is a casing preferably made of light-weight metal such as aluminum which consists of a base plate l2 which is upwardly curved at its forward end as at M to form a front member and which has a rear upright member l6 integral with the back edge thereof which upright member is in turn integral with an angulated portion !8. The edges of the base plate l2 are flanged throughout as at 2B and are provided with apertures as at 22 which receive fastening means such as screws 24 for removably retaining a pair of spaced parallel ide pieces 25 which are also provided with suitable apertures for alignment with the apertures 22 of the base plate.

Positioned between the side plates 26 and removably secured to the top side portions of the plates is another plate 23 whose forward portion 30 is downwardly and inwardly curved. and whose back portion 32 is in the form of a downwardly inclined lip. The side edges of the plate 28 are provided with flanges and fastenin engaging apertures therein for removably receiving fastening means such as screws 34 for removably securing the plate 28 to both of the side plates 26. The plate 28 is so positioned in the casing that the forward member 30 is spaced from but does not abut the base plate l2.

The casing is completed by providing a member 36 whose forward member is downwardly curved as at 38 and is suitably and removably secured to the member M. The central portion of this plate 38 is substantially flat and integral therewith at its back portion or back ed e is an upwardly and'outwardly curvedplate member 48 the top portion of which is cut out to pro. vide a window as at 42. curved member 40 meets and joins with the'flat portion of the plate member 36a downwardly curved transverse lip is obtainedas 'at '44, this lip 44 being identified hereinafter asthe selector lip. The plate member 36 is in'effect an outer at both ends of the shaft which are journalled through appropriate apertures in the side plates 26 provided therefor. To one of these trunnions and outside one of the side plates 26 a handknob 54 is removably secured by means of a recess screw. This hand-knob is preferably knurled as at 56 and is further provided with'an alphabet 58, the letters of which are circumferentially spaced around the knob and adjacent the side plates 26.

Fixedly secured to the shaft 58 at one end thereof and adjacent to the inner surface of the side plates 26 is a circular plate 60 which is somewhat flexible and'is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures. To the opposite endof the shaft and adjacent the inner surface of the opposite plate 26 a toothed gear" 62 is fixedly secured which like plate 60 is also circular and is provided with a plurality of circumfe'rentially spaced apertures. Extending across the entire length of the shaft 50 and removably received by the apertures provided in the gear 62 and in the plate 60, a plurality of spindles 64 are provided which are in effect appropriately spacedand lie parallel to the axis of rotation of the shaft 50. These spindles 64 retain the sheets on-the rotatable spindle 58.

The sheets 66 have a free edge on one end which is reinforced as at 68 and is provided with a sleeve 18 on the other end. Proximate the free end an index line T2 is provided beneath which will be found the name, telephone number and/or the address of a person as shown at 14. Proximate the sleeved end of the sheets a line- 'l5 is provided which indicates the end of the sheet. The spindles carried by the shaft 58 are journalled through the sleeve T8 of the sheets, which sheets are wound on the reel 48 in such manner that their free ends are exposed in spaced overlapping relation.

Extending transversely in the casing beneath the reel 48 and revolvably retained by means of suitable pintles T8 to the side plates 26 is provided a feed roller 80 having a toothed gearBZ at one end thereof which meshes with the toothed gear fiz ofthe, reel 48. a A plurality of guide roll Where the upwardly ers 84 having pintles 86 are-also provided which are disposed transversely in the casing between the side plates 26 and positioned adjacent the inner surfaces of the members l6 and I8.

Transversely disposed in the casing and beneath the window 42 another alphabet 59 is also provided, the significance of which will be explained hereinafter.

The practical operation of the indexer is as follows. Suppose the operator is desirous of obtaining all the names, addresses and telephone numbers of persons with surnames beginning with the letter G. He would turn the knob 54 in 'a counter-clockwise direction until the free end of a sheet containing a name beginning with the letter G appears before the window. The index line 72 on that sheet would align itself with the letter G of the casing alphabet 59 while at the same time, the letter G on the knob alphabet 58 will align itself with a marker on the arcuate element 40 opposite the window 42". "To obtain all the names and pertinent information on this sheet, and possibly to insert another name and information, the operator reverses the rotation of the wheel by turning the knob' 54 in a clockwise direction. As shown in Figure 6, the sheet adjacent to the G sheet and all the sheets therebeneath will be stopped from rotating on the reel in front of the window'by thelip selector 44 and will be led into the storage compartment 46 whilethe G sheet-'passes-be' fore and is completely exposed in the window. The operator continues this reverse rotation until he reaches the marker 16 which indicates the end of the sheet whereupon he returns to a counter-clockwise or normal rotation of the reel for further use.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary. 1

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is: 1; An indexing device comprising a casing including a base, side members and front and rear end members; a reel rotatably mounted in the side members adjacent the rear end member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced sheets each removably secured by one end to said reel in over lapping relationship, a first plate removably se-' cured on the upper edges of the frontand side members, said plate including an upwardly and rearwardly inclined portion at its rear end forming a downwardly curved transverse selector lip at the point of juncture of said portionand said first plate, a transverse window in said portion at its rear end, and a second plate disposed in said casing and secured to the side members thereof in spaced relation to said first plate, front mem-;

her and base member to form a sheet storage space,'whereby when said reel is rotated in one direction the sheets are sequentially exhibited at the window and upon reverse movement of the reel, the selector lip separates a predetermined sheet to exhibit any portion of the entire surface thereof at the window while the remaining sheets beneath the predetermined sheet slide into and through the storage space. i

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the front ends of said first and second plates and said front member of said casing are arcuated.

=3. 'The combinationof claim 1 and a hand-knob carried by said reel for rotating the reel; said;

knob having an alphabet circumferentially spaced REFERENCES CITED thereon The follow'n eferences are of record in the 4. The combination of claim 3 and an alphabet me of this i carried by said casing beneath said window.

5. The combination of claim 4 and an indicia 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS on each sheet so arranged thereon that when a Number Name Date sheet is selected by means of the alphabet on 403,673 Jenkins May 21, 1889 said knob, said indicia is aligned with a letter 473,508 Jenkins Apr. 26, 1892 of the casing alphabet corresponding to the letter 1,234,415 Swanson July 24, 1917 selected on said knob. 10 48,019 Babson et a1 Aug. 4, 1925 JENS A. ORTENDAHL. 

